Question???? | Arthritis Information

HI again guys, as I mentioner the other day, my son has been getting episcleritis in his eyes and without drops it keeps returning, so he has now been on steroid drops for 6-7 weeks and antibiotics too, so my DR ordered all the autoimmune tests basically.

He had a negative RF and ESR but he is HLAB27 + , I know this can predispose him to certain conditions such as AS or Chrons disease, anybody got any information for me, my GP said today there is another test she can do to double check for RA?????

Thanks Janie. BUMP Hi Janiefx,

I can't offer you any help with your post but wanted to respond to keep it bumped to the top....it's morning on the east coast of the US and the board is kind of quiet. I wish you well in finding an answer for your son. Take care, Hiking_gal

Hey Janie......I'm afraid I don't know about what you're asking. But I can see this is a big thing and I wanted you to know I care. How's your son doing through all of this? Is it scary for him?hi janie sorry your son is going through this..
i know nothing about it but have found a little info..

Boney

Disease associations

The relationship between HLA-B27 and many diseases has not yet been fully elucidated. Though it is associated with a wide range of pathology, it does not appear to be the sole mediator in development of disease. For example, while 90% people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are HLA-B27 positive, only a fraction of people with HLA-B27 ever develop AS. This raises two important questions: why don't all HLA-B27 positive people develop AS, and why do some people who are HLA-B27 negative develop it? The literature is inconclusive, though several theories have been suggested and research continues.

[edit] Associated pathology

In addition to its connection with AS, HLA-B27 is implicated in Reiter's syndrome, certain eye disorders such as acute anterior uveitis and iritis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn's disease. Reiter's syndrome then again, is statistically associated with AS.

allso

HLA B27 is an inherited gene marker associated with a number of related rheumatic diseases. They share in common, features such as spinal and peripheral arthritis, skin and GI disorders, anterior chamber eye disease, and psoriasis like skin lesions. This gene is found with highest prevalence in patients with ankylosing spondylosis (>90%), reactive arthritis (80%), and patients with the combination of peripheral arthritis and either psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease (50%). Statistics are, however, sometimes misleading. Although it is true that patients with classic disease will show the presence of the HLA B27 gene between 50 and 90+% of the time, if you randomly take 100 persons with the gene marker, you may find evidence of disease in only 25% of the study group. This suggests that most patients with the gene never develop any clinical rheumatic symptoms of significance

I battle with chronic epi and uveitis as well. The last bout, I was on the steroid drops for 7 weeks. I am interested to hear as well if he has any other symptoms to go along with the eye problems? Another blood test to ask about would be an ACE level. This can be elevated in certain inflammatory diseases as well, such as the sarcoidosis that I have. Please keep us updated. Wow thanks guys for all your replies, just talking to someone about it at the moment is helping me, I know you all understand so I knew this was the place to be, THANKYOU!

Hiking Gal - thankyou

Linncn - my son isn't scared but he says if he does have RA he thinks it will go away by the time he is grown up, bless him.

Boney - thankyou very much for the info, it was very interesting and helpful.

Michele and Snowowl, yes he does have other symptoms, he has sore joints occasionally, mainly his knees and his heels, I am thinking AS possibly, please God it is nothing. He has had irritable bowel symptoms for years, he has had to take a special drink to help him as his bowel became so relaxed his muscles weren't working anymore and he wasn't feeling when he needed to go to the toilet and was having accidents, we seem to have fixed that problem now with the help of his paediatrician. He still gets lots of tummy aches. Thanks guys once again, I will keep you posted, hugs Janie. HI guys, I hope you don't mind me bumping this up, I would like some more input if possible, thanks for any assistance, Janie.
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